Bath House
by Ivory Byrd
Summary: OMG! IB wrote something that isnt a Zutara... it MAIKO! be confused very confused. After Zuko has joined his sister he feels the need to get cleaned up but runs into someone nice enough to scrub his back. Maiko.. please read even if you hate the pairing


Ok before you all get seriously pissy with me just understand that I am still gonna write Zutara… but this stupid Maiko is stuck in my head so bear with me…

Summary: After newly joining his sister Zuko needs to get clean, he runs into Mai in the bath house.

If you hate Maiko I am sorry, but please don't sass me about it…this pairing makes as much sense as Zutara so if you read please read for the story. Not the pairing. Yeah I am bringing back the angst Zuko for this, so far I have him in stupid brat, angst, romantic, and soon to have angst pervert… oh well but here you go… don't worry its just a oneshot.

if it helps just substitute Mai's name with your fave Zuko female pairing...

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Bath House  
A Maiko Story

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Zuko sat in the room given to him by Azula; he hated the feeling of guilt. Not because he basically lied to the water bending girl but because he turned against his uncle. He could care less about girls right now; he was trying to figure out what his sister was up to. If she was true to her word. He didn't do what he did blindly either; he went into this pit with the queen viper with open eyes and ears. He tried to eavesdrop multiple times, and he listened very well when she actually let him in the planning room to try to catch everything she said and try to pick her apart. 

Azula never asked him for his opinion, and when he tried to give it she would raise her hand and remind him of the last time he showed his opinion.

He was exhausted, mentally, emotionally, and physically. He had cleaned himself after the cavern but he knew that he still had a ways to go before he could actually get Azula to stop making faces when he walked by. He knew he didn't smell bad but it was her way of insulting him.

He grabbed his night robes (remember from episode one the robe he wore when the light shown) and slipped it on and then grabbed a towel and decided to soak off his exhaustion at the bathhouse.

Mai sat in one of the ornate tubs in the bathhouse, it was the only place Ty Lee wouldn't go, and she was a bit uncomfortable about being handled by servants. So she was here alone every once in a while she would see a worker scurry by and avoid eye contact. When the mesus came to give her a massage Mai sent her away wanting to be alone. She didn't entirely like how the woman worked her muscles in her neck and arms. She would only trust Ty Lee with that really. The only thing she was good for truly in Mai's opinion.

Getting out she wrapped the towel around her thin body, she had her bathing wraps still on, which was nice since she didn't have to worry about being decent if someone walked by. She went to the showers. They were particularly used by the men but since she had a lot of herbal water put in her bath she needed to rinse off. Or by the morning her skin would have broken out. Walking in she noticed she was alone. She threw her towel over a hook and sat down on one of the risen rocks that acted as seats. Turning the metal knob water came from a tightly woven twine tube with thick canvas wrapping that was connected to a metal pipe she began to soak her head. The end of the tube was a thin rock that that had tiny holes in it for the water to flow through and around the edge to weave into the tubing to make it possible.. In the fire nation they had metal ones that were heated. She had to deal with the cool water on her back since this wasn't the fire nation.

"Oh sorry Mai!" She heard behind her. Wiping her face and turning her water soaked head to see Prince Zuko had decided to take advantage of the showers also, only now he was turned around.

"Oh its you." She said. "You can join me I am almost done." She said as he turned slightly to hear her better.

"I am glad you're not Ty Lee, she would have thrown a bucket at me." He said as he sat down on a rock behind hers facing away from her.

"I admit that would be entertaining." She commented.

Zuko pulled off his night robe and pants and folded them leaving him in his bathing shorts (they are kind of like Sokka's only cover more leg and more stomach).

It was snatched up by Mai suddenly as she put it near her towel. "I know you too well Zuko, you have an affinity with getting your clothes wet."

Zuko couldn't help but laugh. Which when it made her blush slightly made him laugh a bit more. "Thanks."

She sat back down and they showered in silence. Every once in a while she could feel warm water hit her back, making her envious that he was a fire bender.

Zuko on the other hand was getting a bit irritated at the small trickles of cold water that would his own back. It reminded him of the sea and how much he time he spent out there. "Do you want me to heat your water up; Azula might kill you if you come down sick."

"Normally I would say thanks for worrying but I know that your right." Mai turned her head a bit excitedly knowing she was going to leave a bit warmer now. "But yes if you don't mind."

Zuko ceased his showering for a moment and reached over to the pipe that was connected to her hose and grabbed it.

She reveled in the warm water he gave her; she knew Azula would just make her freeze to death. And being the height and weight she was wasn't always the best. She quickly finished showering while he ran a bar of soap through his shaggy hair and shoulders. "Ok I am done." she finally said.

Zuko let go of the pipe and she turned the knob till the water stopped. She walked over and grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her. Mai looked over at the prince who had continued to clean himself.

Walking back over, she sat facing his back. "Let me help." She said blushing slightly and taking the soap from him. She ran one hand through his hair and the other was adding more soap. Setting the soap down she began to massage his scalp. Her nails slight raking off some of the dirt that still was there.

Zuko couldn't help but feel in heaven, one thing he loved the most was when his mother would do this, he loved when he got his hair washed by someone, and Mai was doing a very good job herself, at first he was a bit afraid since she had long sharp nails but she avoided scratching him. He let out a soft moan.

"Your hair looks pretty good like this." She stated quickly when she heard the sound.

"I miss my hair that I had three years ago." He said thinking back. "This is much better than that one top knot I had for a while."

Mai took the shower hose and while he held the pipe she rinsed his hair. Taking a washcloth that he had over looked she began to scrub at his back.

"But you look good too." he said.

If Mai were anything like Ty Lee she would have giggled just then. Instead she blushed a bit more. "Thank you I guess." She said quietly. She finished his back and rinsed him off. "You're done."

"Thank you." He said quietly.

"Tell anyone what I just did and it won't happen again." she threatened with a tiny smile and pulled the towel tighter around her and left to get her clothes.

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I am gonna end it there. Any longer i would have to start putting problems in for them... i hope you liked... 

please do not review just to tell me you hate maiko... i wanna hear how you liked the story... even if you didnt you better come up with a better excuse than "i didnt like it because it was mai and i hate mai" coz i dont reply well to those...

but thanks for reading and you get a cookie if you review !


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